Teaming Up with My Enemy to Rule the Apocalypse

Sierra paid no mind to the complex gazes filtering through the cracks of nearby doors and knocked gently.

She had only knocked once when the door swung open from the inside.

It was Yvonne Shelby who opened the door.

The moment Yvonne Shelby saw the three of them, a brilliant smile lit up her face.

”You’re back quick. Hurry inside and get some rest.”

Sierra almost laughed.

’We only walked a few steps. It’s not like we did anything exhausting. Why would we need to rest?’

But she knew it was just Yvonne Shelby’s way of showing she cared, so she smiled and accepted.

Once inside, Sierra had intended to help with the cooking, but she was stopped before she could even start.

”There are plenty of us cooking already, we don’t need another pair of hands. You just go and play with Candice Tate,” Yvonne Shelby said.

Jayce chimed in, ”Sierra, you should rest. I can go help, that’s enough.”

Sierra couldn’t argue with them, so she had no choice but to take Candice Tate to the bedroom.

The living room wasn’t large to begin with. With a table and ingredients set out, it was already a tight squeeze for the few people cooking, and there was nowhere left to sit.

Fortunately, the bedroom was reasonably spacious.

Even with a number of people inside, it wasn’t too crowded, as some were sitting on stools and others on the bed.

Sierra glanced at Yvonne Shelby and Kevin Everett’s bed but decided against sitting on it.

’Just as I don’t like people sitting on my bed, I don’t want to sit on someone else’s.’

”Why don’t I put everything in this room into my space and bring out a large round table? It’ll be more convenient for us to eat later,” Sierra suggested.

Her suggestion was met with immediate, unanimous approval.

Kevin Everett was the first to stand up, and the children playing on the bed all climbed down.

With a wave of her hand, Sierra stored all the furniture in her space and produced a large round table, big enough to seat everyone.

It even had a Lazy Susan on top.

It wasn’t electric, but it was still very convenient.

Staring at the round table, Tim Everett’s face filled with nostalgia. ”This table... it reminds me of life before the apocalypse.”

Back then, he was constantly attending all sorts of banquets, eating at a table just like this almost every day.

It hadn’t really been that long, but looking back now, it felt like a lifetime ago.

Kevin Everett glanced at his son, Tim, but said nothing.

As his father, and as a man himself, Kevin Everett completely understood what Tim was thinking.

Before the apocalypse, Tim had been a successful man. Countless people had sought his favor daily, surrounding him, eager to please.

The contrast between then and now was immense.

Tim still hadn’t awakened a Superpower. And while he had a job, it didn’t pay particularly well.

In Subterra, ordinary people were naturally of a lower status than Superpower Users.

Even with a job, he was often treated differently just for not being a Superpower User, and the words of others could be cutting.

The reason Kevin Everett understood so clearly was, of course, that he was going through the very same thing.

But Kevin had never spoken of these things to Yvonne Shelby, let alone to Jayce or the others.

’I’m an old man now. I’ve been through so many ups and downs in my life. What haven’t I experienced?’

’If I can’t even accept something like this, if I can’t even manage my own mindset, then haven’t I lived all these years for nothing?’

”Dad?” Tim looked over at Kevin, confused. ”Why are you staring at me? Is something wrong?”

Kevin snapped out of it and shook his head. ”It’s nothing. Have you been doing all right recently?”

”I’m doing great!” Tim forced a wide smile, but a flicker of bitterness crossed his eyes.

”That’s good...”

The father and son sat down together, their voices dropping to a low murmur.

Sierra overheard their conversation and saw their exchange, but she didn’t approach them.

Instead, she played with Candice Tate and Jayce’s nieces and nephews.

Candice Tate was younger than the other children, but in terms of family seniority, she was their senior.

Sierra had worried that this might cause the other kids to resent Candice Tate and not want to play with her.

But Sierra soon realized her worries were entirely unfounded.

Though Candice Tate was the youngest, her mindset was actually the most mature of them all.

Plus, she was a Superpower User whose ability was related to food and drink, which made winning over a few children incredibly simple.

Candice Tate simply took a few seeds from her bag.

A moment later, an array of fresh fruit appeared on the table.

The children happily munched on one fruit after another, their faces alight with satisfaction. They started calling Candice Tate ”Little Auntie” over and over.

Sierra was taken aback when she first heard them call her ”Little Auntie.”

But the one being called seemed happy, and those listening didn’t mind either.

Kevin Everett and his son Tim, who were sitting nearby, heard it too but had no objections, so Sierra let it be.

Yvonne Shelby popped in at one point. She wasn’t surprised to see the children eating fruit, but she did give them a reminder. ”Don’t eat too much. We’ve prepared a lot of delicious food for dinner. If you get full now, you won’t have room for it later.”

”Don’t worry, Grandma! We can eat way more!”

”Yeah! I’m a bottomless pit!”

”I can eat a whole lot!”

The children’s chirpy replies were enough to make anyone smile.

Sierra knew they didn’t really have massive appetites. ’It’s because living conditions now are nothing like they used to be, and they don’t get to eat this well all the time.’

’That’s why they’re eating their fill, taking every chance to eat as much as possible.’

’It’s all the apocalypse’s fault!’

’Otherwise, given their upbringing, you’d be lucky if they weren’t picky eaters. How could they be like this, never seeming to get their fill of anything?’

An hour later, all the dishes were finally on the table.

The kitchen was simple, but the stove was powerful, and there were many hands to help. Plus, with Sierra and her Space Ability, they could keep the finished dishes warm in her storage.

When all the food was finally laid out, the hot dishes were still steaming as if fresh from the wok, a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate.

It wasn’t just the main courses; even the dumplings had been boiled, plated, and stored in her space, ready to be brought out and served once everyone had eaten their fill of the other dishes.

Kevin Everett raised his glass. ”Today is New Year’s Eve. For our whole family to be gathered here, sharing this reunion dinner—that’s the greatest happiness of all. It’s worth celebrating, and it’s worth a toast!”

Everyone who drank alcohol raised their glasses, while Candice Tate and the other children held up glasses of juice.

Everyone toasted each other across the table, the room filled with constant laughter and cheerful voices.

Watching the happy, laughing people around her, Sierra felt the emptiness in her heart being filled.

’Ever since her parents passed away, she hadn’t experienced this kind of atmosphere during the New Year.’

’But from this moment on, and for every year to come, she was certain she could have this kind of joy!’